Around 400 establishment figures are expected to choose Macau’s new leader on October 13. The candidates must be pre-vetted for their political stance and declare allegiance to Beijing and the Special Administrative Region. The current leader, Ho Iat-seng, has not confirmed if he will run for a second term, but local entrepreneur Jorge Chiang has announced his bid.
According to Macau’s Basic Law, the chief executive must be a Chinese national over 40 years old who has lived in Macau for at least 20 years. The election committee, made up of representatives from various sectors, will be responsible for selecting the city’s leader for the next five years.
The recent election committee poll saw a high turnout rate of 88.1%, with 5,521 eligible voters casting their ballots. The Macau government praised this as a reflection of society’s support for the new electoral system and efforts to safeguard national security.
In December last year, Macau passed a new election law granting the election committee the authority to vet candidates to ensure their allegiance to the Basic Law and the city. Candidates must secure 66 nominations from the committee and pledge allegiance to Beijing and Macau to run for office.
With a population of 687,000 as of June 2024, Macau continues to undergo political developments as it prepares for its leadership election. Stay tuned for more updates on this important event.